Manohar Parrikar swearing-in as Goa Chief Minister to be delayed?

New Delhi, March 14: The Indian National Congress, which won 17 seats in the 40-member Goa assembly, on Monday moved the Supreme Court challenging governor Mridula Sinha’s decision to invite the 13-Member Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Manohar Parrikar, to form government, claiming that it violated the “established constitutional practice” of inviting the single-largest party in a hung assembly.

The single-largest party should have been asked to for the government, the writ says.

Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar agreed to set up a special bench on Tuesday for an urgent hearing as the court is closed for a week for Holi.

With the oath-taking ceremony scheduled for March 14, Manohar Parrikar may have to wait for the Supreme Court hearing before taking over as Chief Minister.

Indian National Congress’s legal brains trust, including senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, drafted the petition which was filed by the leader of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Goa, Chandrakant Kavlekar, through advocates Devadatt Kamat and Gautam Talukdar.

Manohar Parrikar declared on Monday that he has resigned from Modi’s council of ministers to go back to his home state where he was chief minister earlier.

The incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with 13 seats claims to have the support of 8 other legislators needed to cross the majority mark.

Manohar Parrikar will have to prove his majority in the assembly within 15 days of swearing in.

The former Defence Minister also has to get elected to the state legislature within 6 months. Now, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will also handle the Defence Ministry.

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s former ally the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) with 3 seats offered their support to BJP on condition that Manohar Parrikar will head the state government.

Another regional party Goa Forward Party (GFP), which also won 3 seats, has provided its support along with two independents.

The Indian National Congress has accused the Bharatiya Janta Party of “murdering the democracy”.

The senior leader of Congress party P Chidambaram, said in a tweet, the “Bharatiya Janata Party is stealing elections in Goa and Manipur. A party that comes second has no right to form the government.”

Rejecting the Congress’ claim, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader GVL Narsimha Rao said, “We secured 4 percent more popular votes than the Congress, we also have a legislative majority to form the government.”